Material-working apparatus



Nov. 13, 1928.

T. M D. YANCEY MATERIAL WORKING APPARATUS Filed Sept. 1926 5Sheets-Sheet 1 Nov. 13, 1928. 1,691,103

T. MOD. YANCEY MATERIAL WORKING APPARATUS Filed Sept. '5, 1926 sSheets-Sheet 2 Wye/77W Thaw/0m! h0g7 Nov. 13, 1928. V 1,691,103

T. M D. YANCEY MATERIAL WORKING APPARATUS Filed Sept. 1926 sSheets-Sheet 5 6 f/yd 30 46 v 3f 5/ '32 4 5 43 ZQ m I Patented Nov. 13,1928.

UNITED STATES THORNTON MCDUFFEY YANGEY, F OAK NEW YORK.

1,691,103 PATENT OFFICE.

PARK, ILLiNOIS, Assrenoaro WESTERN ELECTRIC COMPANY, INCORPORATED, orNEW YORK,

N. Y., A; CORPORATION 911 MATERIAL-WORKING APPARATUS.

Application filed September 3, 1926. Serial No. 133,381.

This invention relates to material working apparatus, and moreparticularly to strand twisting or stranding apparatus used in themanufacture of multi-strand cables.

One object ofthis invention isto provide a material working apparatushaving a sim ple and eliicienttension device for maintain ing thematerial being worked under substantially equal uniform predeterminedconditions of tension.

Other objects of this invention are to provide in a material workingapparatus a material advancing apparatus with which the material may beeasily and quickly associated and maintained.

In accordance with the general features of this invention as applied, toa stranding apparatus used in the manufactureof telephone cables, thereis provided an auxiliary capstan comprising a plurality of individualgrooved strand or wire drawing drums uniformly spaced about the axis ofand revolving bodily as a unit with a rotatable twisting drum, theauxiliary capstan being disposed between a plurality of wire supplysources independently rotatable 'upon the twisting drum and a maincapstan which serves to feed the completed cable to a takeup reel. Thespeed of the auxiliary capstan which cooperates with the .main capstanto exert a draft upon the wires is such that the individual wires aredrawn from their supply sources at a speed in excess of the cableproduction speed or the speed of the main capstan, thereby tending 'todraw the wires from their supply sources at a greater speed than isnecessary. However, this does not occur since the wires slip upon thedrums of the auxiliary capstan when the difference in tension on thewire on the supply and takeup sides of the auxiliary capstan reaches apredeteri'nined point. ripheral surfaces of the drums may be freelyturned during the tl'ireadingthereofdue to a pawl and ratchet mechanism.An enclosing housing or guard surrounding the greater portion of theperipheral surface of each drum prevents the displacement of the wiresin the grooves, the wires passing through corresponding individualopenings and the guard being shiftable'to facilitate the threading ofthe wires t-herethrough.

@ther objects and advantages of this invention will more fully appearfrom the ac- The grooved pe-- companying detailed description taken inconnection with the ings, in which Fig; 1 is a fragmentary schematicplan view of a telephone cable stranding apparatus embodying thefeatures of this invention;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged fragmentary side view thereof, partly in section;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged vertical section part ly in elevation on the line33 of Fig. 2;

Figs. 4, 5 and 6 are sections on the lines 4%, 5-5 and 66, respectively,of Fig.3, and

Fig. 7 is a reduced line 77 of Fig. 3.

This invention will be described in connection with a wire twisting orstranding apparatus, such as is used in the manufacture of telephonecables. In order to simplify the disclosure of this invention only suchelements of a stranding apparatus have been shown, as are necessary to afull and complete understanding thereof. For a more completeillustration and description of a stranding apparatus, particularly thestranding or twisting drums (not shown) carrying the wire supplies,which generally are coiled upon reels, with which the apparatus of thisinvention is particularly applicable, reference may be had to Patent1,57 9,7 69 to Jones, dated April 6, 1926, wherein one of such twistingdrums is illustrated.

Referring now to the drawings in detail, the numeral 10 indicates aportion of the right end of a stationary frameupon which may berevolvably journaled several twisting drums (not shown) theframe alsoproviding a journal for a hollow rotatable shaft 11 which propartialsection on the jects from the frame 10 andhas fixed to rotate therewithan auxiliary capstan 12, the shaft being driven from a suitable sourceof power (not shown). A telephone switchboard cable of the flat type isillustrated in the drawings as being formed, the pairs of wires 13 beingstranded or twisted about a thin flat pressboard core 14, which in theoperation of the stranding apparatus is advanced toward the right asviewed in Figs, 1 and 2 at a predetermined rate upon a stationary shelfor support, the core 14 passing along the axis of the twisting drums andthe auxiliary capstan 12 and then through a central aperture 15 formedin a rotary distributor plate 16 of the usual accompanying draw- M23. isa stationary ring gear 24 having-exterzialte cth. Attached to theextreme right end of-tlie shaft 11 by a key 25 (dotted lines Fig. 4) isa circular bearing plate 26 upon which is journaled a pair of horizontaldiametrically oppoied sliafts2'l' each having fixed upon its e .t end aspur gear 28 which meshes with the ring gear 24 (Fig. 4) The left end ofeach 2f the shafts 27 rotates in a radial thrust ball bearing 29retained in position upon the plate i by a circular cover plate30, whilethe right end thereof rotates upon a radial ball bearing 31 securedwithin a bracket 32 fixed to the plate 26, each of the shafts 27 havingfixed thereon intermediate the ball bearings a bevel pinion 35. Theshafts 27 each drives a pair of capstan drums 36, each capstan beingfreely rotatable upon a relatively stationary shaft extending at rightangles toieach other and also to the shafts 27, through bevel gears 38secured to adjacent end faces of thedrums (Fig. 3). Each of the bevelpinions 35 car-,

ried upon the shafts 27 mesheswith a bevel gear 39 secured to the endface of one ofthe drums 36 comprising each pair. One end ot eachof theshafts 37 is supported in the brackets32, while the opposite endsthereof are supported in brackets 40 fixed to the plate 26. Set screws41 threaded into the brackets 40 serve to hold the shafts stationaryrelative to the brackets, the drums 36 rotating upon ball bearingssimilar to the bearings 29 and 31 mounted in opposite ends of the drums.

The distributor plate'16, as clearly'shown in- Fig.4, is mounted forrotation with the capstan 12 by four studs 42 Figs. 3 and 4) threaded attheir left ends into the brackets 32 and 40, the plate being adjustableupon the studs longitudinallythereof as indicated at 43 (Fig. 4).

To facilitate the threading of the wires around each of the capstandrums 36 in stringing the stranding apparatus, a sleeve 44, providedwith a pluralityof similarly radially disposed peripheral grooves 45',is mounted j for independent rotation upon separated peripheral surfacesof each of the drums 36.

The sleeve 44 is retained from longitudinal displacement upon itsassociated drum 36 by. an annular peripheral flange 46 formed upon oneend of the drum which engages withinan inner annular shoulder providedin the corresponding" end of the sleeve, the opposite end face of thesleeve abutting the end face of a hub portion of the associated bevelgear 38 (Fig. Formed in the inner annular face of the sleeve 44 at theend thereof which is associated with the bevel gear 38 are ratchet teeth47 7), a spring pressed pawl 48 pivoted Within a depression 49 providedin the corresponding end of the drum forming a driving connectionbetween the drum and the sleeve when the stranding apparatus is inoperation. This action it is believed will be clear by referring to Fig.7, the drum 36' rotating in the direction indicated by the arrow. Duringthe threading operation,

which will be described shortly hereinafter,

it will be apparent that the sleeve 44 may be rotated in the samedirection independently of the drum which is stationary at this time,the pawl48 merely idly riding into and out of the ratchet teeth 47.Closely surrounding the greater portion of the peripheral surface ofeach sleeve 44 is a shiftable circular housing or guard 51 formed fromsteel tubing as cloa ly shown in Fig.6. The guard is rotatably supportedin a sleeve like holder 52 secured at one end to a bracket 53 by screws(dotted lines Fig. 3) which in turn is fixed to the bracket 40 by screws55, one of each of the screws 54 and 55 being indicated in Fig. 3.Attached to the outer peripheral surface ofthe guard 51 intermediate itsends is a plate '56 carrying a stud 57 (Fig. 6). Carried upon the stud57 is a handle 58 and surrounding the stud between the plate 56 and ahead 61 formed upon the outer end of. the stud is a coiled compressionspring 62. An inner end circular face of the handle is designed to beretained in either of two operated positions of the guard 51in suitabledepressions 133 formed in a raised peripheral surface of the holder 52,the spring it will be apparent serving to hold it thereinJ The'plate 56inits movement with the handle 58 and guard 51 rides in a slot 64 ofsuitable length provided in the raised peripheral surface of the holder52 (Figs. 3 and 6), the depressions 63 being formedadjacent oppositeends thereof. The holder 52 upon its right and lower sides as viewed inFig. 6 is provided with a comparatively wide slot 65 which extendsalmost half way around the holder 52. The guard 51 upon its right sideFig. 6 is providedwith a slot 66 similarin width to that of the slot 65and which extendsaround the periphery of the sleeve 44 for a relativelyshort distance sufficient only to permit the wires 13 to pass onto andoff of the sleeve. Fixed to the outer peripheral surface of the sleeve44 at opposite sides of the slot 66 are hardened steel guide plates 67and 68 provided will a plurality of openings .69 corresponding in numberwith ill! low

the grooves 45 and alined therewith for the I passage of the wires 13onto and oil of the capstan sleeve 44. In the position of the guards '51as viewed in Figs. 3 and 6 it will be assumed thatthe auxiliary capstan12 has been thread the apparatus is at a standstill rocks clockwise theguard 51 from the full line position to the dotted line position asviewed in Fig. 6,

.which movement amounts to approximately 75. This is accomplished byfirst pulling outward on the handle 58, against the action of the spring62, until the inner circular face thereof has left the depression 63 ofthe holder 52 and thereafter rocking it clockwise until itlatches intothe other depression 63 as hereinbefor-e described. In this positionitwill readily be apparent that the openings 69 in the guide plates 67and 68 will be moved from a position in which they extend parallel tothe axis of the capstan 12 to a position substantially at right anglesthereto at the right end thereof as viewed in Fig. 3, in which positionthe threading operation may readily be performed. The wires 12 are drawnfrom the supply reels carried upon the twisting drums (not shown) passedthrough the hollow shaft 11 and along the axis of the capstan 12,threaded through the openings 69 in the guide plate 6'? and into thecorresponding rooves of the sleeve 44 and guided th-erearound by theguard 51. Upon emergence from the grooves the wires are threaded throughthe corresponding openings 69 in the guide plate 68 and a suitablelength drawn therethrough. One or several turns may be taken around thesleeve depending upon thedesired range of tension at which the wires areto be delivered to the stranding or twisting POlIllLylVlllCll it willbeapparent is between the distributor plate 16 and-the compacting sleeve17. .The guard 51 is then returned to its full line or operatingposition (Fig. 6) in a reverse manner to that just described. Thecapstan 12 is then rotated clockwise until the lower capstan sleeve 414ias viewed in Fig. 3 is in the positionpreviously occupied by the capstansleeve just previously threaded, whereupon it is threaded in a similarmanner and so on until allfour of the sleeves have been thread- .ed. Thewires 13 are then drawn. from the sleeves 44, which at this time arefree to rotate, through the action of the pawl and ratchet mechanism, ashereinbefore described. threaded tl'lrough their respective apertures inthe distributor plate 16, through the compacting sleeve around the core1 1 which has previously been threaded through the apparatus from'asuitable supply (not shown) positioned. at the left end of the twistingdrums (not shown). A suitable number of turns of the core and wires aretaken around the capstan 18, theend thereof being attached to a suitabletake-up device or reel (not shown). v

It will be apparent upon threading the stranding apparatus in theaforementioned manner and causing the hollow shaft 11 and the capstan 18to rotate in the direction in dicated by the arrows Figs. 3 and 1,respectively, that the capstan drums 36 with their attached sleeves 44,through the gears 28 rolling around the stationary ring gear 24, bevelpinions 85 meshing with the bevel gears 39 and the meshing sets of bevelgears 38 will rotate in unison upon the stationary shafts 37 in thedirection indicated by the arrows (Figs. 2, 3 and 6), in addition totheir rotation as a unit with the shaft 11. Thus the pairs of wires 13are individually drawn from their respective supply reels (not shown)through the cooperation of the capstans 12 and 18 and fed to thecompacting sleeve 17, the capstan 18 serving to draw the completed orstranded cable through the compacting sleeve17 and feed it to thetake-up mechanism (not shown). Due to the fact that the loaded supplyreels do not always contain the same amount of wire, their weightsdiffer, consequently the pull in pounds necessary in one particularstructure to unwindthewiretherefrom at times varies from O to 15 pounds.This wide ran e of tension on the wires is also accentuated by thegenerally unbalanced cone,

dition of the reels due to various causes other than their diiferencesin weight. The peripheral speed of the capstan sleeves 44 relative tothe capstan 18 is such that there is a tendency to pull the paired wires13, which in the embodiment illustrated. consist of fortyfour pairs,eleven pairs for each sleeve 4 1. at a greater speed than is necessary,that is, in comparison to the speed at which the cable is produced ordrawn from the compacting sleeve 17 by the capstan 18. It will beapparent. however, that this does not occur since the coil of wirearound the groove 15 of the sleeve 14: slips when thedifierenceintension on the wire on the supply and take-up sides thereofreachesa predetermined point, which point is primarily governed by thenumber of wraps of the wire around the capstan sleeve 14. This act-ionof the capstan 12 it will be apparent provides a substantially uniformpredetermined range of tension on each pair of wires and an equaltension in all the pairs at the point of formation thereof into thecable, the pull of the capstan 18 upon the completed cable being onlysutficient to provide the necessary friction'between the auxiliarycapstan 12 and the wires passing therearound to cause the two capstanstoproperly tooperate and to V pull the con'ipletcd cable through thecompacting sleeve 17. The net result of interposin'g the auxiliary 12between the wire supply reels and the main capstan 18 is that the pullof the latter capcapstan stan does not submit any single pair of wiresor the plurality of wires at the pointof formation into the cable or thecompleted cable itself to any deleterious tensions.

The auxiliary capstan, as hereinbefore described, is particularly usefulin stranding wires around irregular or noncircular cores,

wherein the tension on the wires due to the I varying point ofapplication of the wire to the core during the stranding operationresults'in the subjection of the wires to unequal tensions which maysometimes tend to result in a nonuniform distribution of the wires andalso may tend to considerably distort the core. Although the apparatusis described and illustrated in connection with the forming of oval andflat type switchboard cable, it

will be apparent that it may be used equally well in the forming ofcircular type cables.

What is claimedis':

1. In a material working apparatus, material working means, a singleelement for individually feeding materials thereto under an equaltension within a predetermined range, means cooperating with the feedingelement to maintain the necessary friction between'the material and theelement and for moving theworked material from the working means, thematerial moving means per mitting the materi al to slip on the feedingelement when the tension on the material at opposite sides of theelement reaches a predetermined: point, and means for operating thematerial feeding element and the worked material moving means atdifferent predetermined speeds. I

2. Ina material working apparatus, material working means, a singleelement about which the material and the worked material is wrappedpositioned at each side of the point of working the material andcooperat ing to individually feed materials to the v working point underan equal tension within a predetermined range and for moving the workedmaterials therefrom, the material slipping onone of the feeding elementswhen the tension on the material at opposite sides of the elementreaches a predetermined point, and means for operating the elements atdifferent predetermined speeds.

I 3. In a material working apparatus,'material working means, a singleelement about which the material is wrapped for individually andcollectively feeding-materials to the working means under an equaltension within a predetermined range, means cooperating therewith tovary the friction between the materials and the feeding means forcausing the latter means to function and for moving the worked materialscollectively from the workingmeans, and means for operating the materialfeeding elementand the cooperating means atdifferent predeterminedspeeds.

i. Ina cable stranding apparatus, the combination with a rotatablememberthereof and a plurality of strand supplies, means for moving thecompleted cable, and a single rotatable element carried by the rotatablemember about which the strands are individually wrapped for feeding thestrands to the point of formation thereof into a cable under an equaltension within a predeter mined range, the strands slipping on thefeeding element when the tension on the strands at opposite sides of theelement reaches a predetermined point. i

In a cable stranding apparatus, the

combination with a rotatable member thereof and a plurality of strandsupplies, means for moving the completed cable, a plurality of rotatableelements carried by the rotatable member about each of which a separategroup of the strands are individually wrapped for feeding the strands tothe point of formation thereof into a cable under an equal tensionwithin a predetermined range, the cable moving means and the strandfeeding elements in cooperation tending. to feed the strands to thepointof formation thereof into a cable at a greater speed than the completedcable is moved, means for operating the-cable moving means, and meansopera tively connecting the rotatable member and the elements carriedthereby for rotating the elements.

6. 'In a cable stranding apparatus, the combination with a rotatablemember thereof and a plurality of strand supplies, means for moving thecompleted cable, a plurality of elements carried by the rotatable memberabout each of which a separate group of the strands are individuallywrapped in a plane parallel to the axis of rotation of the strandingapparatus, the cable moving means and the feeding elements cooperatingtogether to individually feed the strandsto the point of formationthereofinto a cable under an equal tension within a predetermined rangeand for moving the completed cable, and means for operating the cablemoving means and the feeding elements at different-predetermined speeds.I

7. In a material workingapparatus, a rotary strand feeding means aroundwhich material may be wrapped, and a shiftable housing for preventingthe displacement of the material from within the groove and forfacilitating the threading of the material therearound.

8. In a material working apparatus, a rotary drum, a sleeve surroundingthe periphery thereof around which material may be wrapped, and meansfor operatively connect ing the sleeve to the drum during rotation ofthe latter and for permitting independent rotation of the sleeve uponthe drum.'

9. In a material working apparatus, a rotary strand feeding meansprovided with a peripheral groove around which material may be wrapped,a rotatable housing mounted around substantially the entire peripherythereof for preventing the displacement of the material from Within thegroove, means forrotatably shifting the housing upon the rotary meansintoa plurality of positions, and means cooperating with the lattermeans for maintaining the housing in a set position.

10'. In a strand Working apparatus, a rotary drum, a sleeve surroundingthe periphery thereof and provided with a plurality of peripheralgrooves around which individual strands may be Wrapped, means foroperatively connecting the sleeve to the drum during rotation of thelatter and for permitting independent rotation of the sleeve upon thedrum, and a shiftable and latchable housing operatively mounted aroundsubstantially the entire periphery thereof for preventing thedisplacement of the strands from Within the grooves and for facilitatingthe threading of the strands therearound.

11. In a cable stranding apparatus, the combination with a rotatablemember thereof and a plurality of strand supplies, means for causing thestrands to be formed into a cable, means for moving the completed cable,a plurality of strand feeding devices carried by the rotatable memberand equally disposed about the axis thereof for feeding the strands tothe point of formation thereof into a cable under an equal tensionWithin a predetermined range, each device comprising a single rotatableelement capable of supporting a plurality of strands individuallyWrapped therearound in spaced. relation, means for operating the cablemoving means, and means operatively connecting the rotatable member andthe strand feeding devices carried thereby for operating the latter.

In Witness whereof, I hereunto subscribe my name this 14th day ofAugust, A. D. 1926. THORNTON MODUFFEY YANCEY.

